Magic Runs Out, Season Comes to End in Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. -  The Springfield Thunderbirds saw their season come to a close in a 7-1 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack in Game 2 of the Best-of-3 First Round series on Friday night at the XL Center.

The Wolf Pack, playing on home ice in the postseason for the first time in eight years, quickly got the home crowd on its feet as Tanner Fritz finished a beautiful passing play off a rush at 8:03 to give Hartford a 1-0 lead for a second straight game. Anton Blidh started the rush into the zone, stopping on the left wing and creating a 2-on-1 for Fritz and Lauri Pajuniemi. Pajuniemi slickly fielded the puck on his backhand, spun to his forehand, and hit Fritz in stride for the payoff. It was Fritz's fourth point already in the series.

2:45 later, the Wolf Pack, feeling the momentum from their crowd, added on as Wyatt Kalynuk blasted a left point shot through heavy traffic, beating Joel Hofer over the glove, and upping the Hartford lead to 2-0.

The onslaught continued when Ty Emberson got lost in coverage at the right point, skating in and ripping a wrist shot home at 12:50 to make it a 3-0 Wolf Pack lead.

In desperate need of a turnaround, the T-Birds' power play answered the bell in the final minute, as Will Bitten pushed a rebound from the left side in past Dylan Garand, cutting the Hartford lead to 3-1 heading into the intermission.

Despite Bitten's strike, the Wolf Pack proved to be too much as the second period began. Bobby Trivigno tallied a power play marker at 3:57 of the second to make it 4-1. Blake Hillman would add his second goal in two games at 6:30 to extend the lead further.

After 72 regular season games and two playoff tilts, the Thunderbirds finally ran out of steam in the final period, and the Wolf Pack kept Springfield off the board in the third. Empty-net tallies by Anton Blidh and Tim Gettinger ended the series, advancing Hartford to the Atlantic Division Semifinals and a date with the Providence Bruins. 

Thunderbirds fans can reserve their seats for the 2023-24 season with a Thunderbirds Ticket Membership by calling (413) 739-GOAL (4625) or visiting www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com.